How close is too close?

blueberrygirl

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We're getting ready to breed again (2nd time around) & have some questions about how closely related the goats can be. Also any suggestions on how to separate them if necessary. Last fall we started with 3 boer does & a boer buck. Our intention was to sell the kids. Well we ended up with a buckling that was rejected by his dam & became a bottle baby. Needless to say he's going to stay now. He's really sweet & in decent health now, but his coat is not glossy & he just doesn't look as grand as the other kids. We thought about weathering him but idk if it's even too late to do it (he's almost 4 months).

Our herd now consists of our buck Pat, 2 of out original does (recently lost one) plus their kids (2 doelings & 2 bucklings). All are boers. Plus a boer doe yearling & 4 milk breed mix doe yearlings that we bought (they are related but not sure to what extent). Who can breed???

Last year (kidded in may) all boers
Pat (buck)
+ Chocolate Milk => Cocoa (buckling)
+ Taylor => Strawberry (doeling)
+ Pepper (died) => Princess Lea & Han Solo

New goats (all does, purchased)
Lovebug (boer)
Skunk (milk)
"The 3 deer" (all 3 are milk mix breed)

All are running together right now except for Pat. We only have one large pen & then a kennel for Pat.

TIA for taking the time to offer suggestions.
 

OneFineAcre

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You need to either wether those bucklings, or put them with your buck. They are old enough to breed as are the two doelings.

With that said, are you looking to breed all of the does? The simplest thing would be to let Pat breed them all except the two doelings who are his daughters.
 

SheepGirl

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I agree with OFA, except I would breed the buck back to his daughters. I have bred sire/daughter with no issues.
 

OneFineAcre

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I agree with OFA, except I would breed the buck back to his daughters. I have bred sire/daughter with no issues.

Nothing wrong with that either. Depends on what the OP is trying to do. If he's a good buck.....

I've got a buck who doesn't have the greatest back legs, kind of posty if you know what I mean. But, produces great daughters when out crossed. We had an accident couple of years ago where he got out an bred one of his daughters. Now, that kid had really posty back legs.
 

blueberrygirl

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So they CAN breed their daughters?
What about half brothers & sisters (ie: cocoa or Han w/ strawberry or lea)? Which would be more outbred?

Yes the goal is to breed all the does. Pat is a nice looking & stocky buck. All his kids are healthy & good size. I don't really have anything to compare them to though. They look very lean & muscle-y. Pat did breed all 3 of the does right away last time. He also has good temperament.
 

blueberrygirl

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I forgot to ask what age everyone typically breeds their does. The kids will be too young in oct/Nov right? I wanted to wait until Jan or so
 

SheepGirl

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Half siblings I believe have a lower COI, depending on how related the dams are. However I would wether or sell all of your bucklings and just use one buck.
 

babsbag

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I have bred my buck back to his daughters as I wanted to ingrain some spotted genetics. The kids were healthy and good size, but there were some traits that I had seen in the does as kids that were VERY apparent in these kids...folded ears. These ended up being market wethers so it was ok but if there had been does that I wanted to keep that might have been a problem.

When you line breed you can get the best of the best and the worst of the worst.
 
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